The Gold Standard: Lindor & Perez

The 2019 baseball season may be over but some good news reached Indians fans yesterday. It was announced that catcher Roberto Perez and shortstop Francisco Lindor were each awarded a Gold Glove for their fantastic defensive seasons.

Perez was promoted to full time catching duties this year and flourished in his new role, displaying those elite defensive skills on a daily basis. The 30 year-old ranked second in the majors in caught stealing percentage, gunning down 41% of his would-be thieves. Pérez led every player in the majors in defensive runs saved, with an outstanding 29 (per Fangraphs).

The most remarkable statistic: Pérez wasn't charged with a single passed ball all season. Over 993.2 innings, he didn't let one get past him. He's only the fourth catcher since 1930 to catch as many games as he did without being charged with a passed ball. Just think how reassuring that was for the Indians pitching staff, knowing full well that a bounced curveball wouldn't be punished, never travelling beyond Perez's reach.

I said in my season review it would be a travesty if Perez was overlooked for the award, and thankfully this didn't come to pass, and he was rightfully rewarded. Lindor was confident for his pal all along, and was quoted during the final weekend of the season saying if Pérez “doesn’t win the Gold Glove, then there’s something wrong with the system. And I know the system’s not wrong, so Pérez will win it.”

Frankie is obviously psychic, but he's also a supremely gifted shortstop as well, and collected the second Gold Glove award of his career. Lindor ranked second among AL shortstops in fielding percentage (.979) and second in DRS (defensive runs saved) with a score of 9. Lindor last won the award in 2016, when he also took home the Platinum Glove award as well, awarded to the best defensive player in each league, Lindor winning on behalf of the AL.

Both Perez and Lindor are currently eligible for the 2019 Platinum Glove and fans can have their say by voting here. Help our boys and vote now!

2019 Cleveland Indians Season Review

Be careful what you wish for.

That should have been the motto for the Cleveland Indians' 2019 season. At the start of the year I hoped for a more competitive campaign, as the previous years of AL Central dominance left the fanbase somewhat wanting in terms of drama and excitement. Division titles are not something you should take for granted, but I wasn't alone feeling underwhelmed at the ease in which the Tribe waltzed to success. What made it worse was the seemingly inevitable postseason collapse that followed.

A division race or playoff chase was welcomed then. Until it got a little close for comfort, that is.

I don't think anyone in the league expected the Twins to win over 100 games and break records. The very respectable 93-69 Indians ran them close for a while but credit must go to Minnesota, they deserved what they got. Missing out on postseason baseball in Cleveland was disappointing of course, but would the fans and players have experienced further pain and humiliation at the hands of New York and Houston anyway?

Ultimately we'll never know, but after the Twins were swept away by the Yankees with such ease, the defeatist in me is glad we were saved that pain after all. (Who am I kidding, of course I would have loved seeing them play in October!)

With the playoffs now in full swing and the World Series on the horizon, the regular season is beginning to feel like a distant memory. The Indians front office are already looking towards 2020, but I thought I'd take a minute to reflect on 2019 before we move too far forward. Let's get into it:

Injuries And Even More Injuries

The Indians featured 54 players this year, their highest roster turnover since 2002. Terry Francona and his staff were constantly juggling their lineup cards, and the poor clubhouse guys must have been exhausted with all the comings and goings in the locker room.

A host of key players missed significant time on the injured list, leading to this high turnover rate.

The rotation, traditionally a source of strength for the Tribe, were decimated by injuries and illness. Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco, and Mike Clevinger combined to make just 40 starts between them, over half of what they produced in 2018 (when they tallied 95 starts). Trying to compete without three of your top tier pitchers was always going to be challenging.

Injuries affected the offense as well, with Francisco Lindor, Jason Kipnis and Jose Ramirez all missing time with their respective aches and pains. In their absence the Indians' lineup faced a lot of adversity, particularly when Ramirez was struggling (more on that to come).

Important role players like Jordan Luplow, Tyler Clippard, Dan Otero, and Tyler Naquin also missed decent chunks of time, and overall it felt like the club were battling themselves almost as often as they were battling other teams.

The Rotation

Despite missing Kluber, Carrasco and Clevinger for large portions of the season, the men called upon in their stead performed more than admirably.

Shane Bieber emerged as a talented pitcher in 2018 but he truly broke out this year, creating memories for life when he collected the All-Star Game MVP award on home turf. Bieber carried the load with his 214.1 innings pitched, and lead the AL in complete games (3), shutouts (2) and walk rate (1.7). His 259 punchouts, 3.28 ERA and 144 ERA+ marked him out as one of the top arms in baseball, in just the second year of his career. Bieber fever indeed.

I mentioned Clevinger and despite missing a large chunk of the season through injury, the man dubbed Sunshine was still as dominant as always, if not more so in 2019. In 21 starts Clev pitched 126 innings with 169 strikeouts, for a 2.71 ERA and a 174 ERA+. If he hadn't gotten hurt I am certain he would have garnered serious Cy Young award attention.

Rookies such as Zach Plesac (21 starts, 3.81 ERA) and Aaron Civale (10 starts, 2.34 ERA) played their part in guiding the club to 90+ victories, and were largely impressive during their maiden auditions in the show. Both pitchers built strong cases to be included on the 2020 Opening Day roster and will hopefully have long and distinguished careers at the corner of Carnegie and Ontario.

Adam Plutko (21 games, 4.86 ERA) and Jefry Rodriguez (10 games, 4,63 ERA) didn't make the same splash as Plesac and Civale but were important contributors nonetheless, especially considering they weren't expected to feature if everyone had stayed healthy.

Finally, a word must go to the departed Trevor Bauer, who pitched 156.2 innings with 185 strikeouts, for a 3.79 ERA (that he couldn't replicate with the Reds unfortunately). The enigmatic pitcher stayed healthy all year and tallied the second highest number of starts for the club prior to joining Cincinnati, making 24 valuable appearances. Also, we cannot forget his final moment in a Tribe uniform. It's the stuff of legend.

Jose Ramirez

What a perplexing year for Jose Ramirez.

Coming off an MVP-caliber 2018 season, when he slashed .270/.387/.552 with 39 home runs, 34 stolen bases and 8 WAR, great things were expected from our lovable infielder.

What occurred next was absolutely mystifying. Despite those fantastic numbers, he ended 2018 poorly, mired in a terrible funk that stuck to his cleats like dog shit. The stench never left him even as his 2019 campaign began. He looked completely lost at the plate in April, May and June, an entirely changed man. His first three month's of production looked like this:

340 PA, .214/.309/.325, 5 HR, 30 RBI, .634 OPS.

Horrible. People were beginning to seriously worry, myself included.

Thankfully Ramirez found himself in July and August, and embarked on a torrid run at the plate, posting an OPS of 1.020 and 1.077 that effectively carried the club on his back, driving them back into playoff contention and keeping the Twins looking in their rear-view mirror.

Just as the Indians were preparing for the final month of their playoff push, Ramirez fractured the hamate bone in his right hand. He would miss a month, and although he returned in late September, the season was essentially over by that point. Who knows what difference the rejuvenated Ramirez could have made to the Indians' season down the stretch.

His final line for 2019:

.255/.327/.479, 23 HR, 83 RBI, 24 SB, .806 OPS and 3.3 WAR.

Oscar Mercado

To say I was excited for Mercado's promotion was an understatement. When he finally arrived he was exactly as advertised, the perfect tonic for the Indians' outfield woes. Given the keys to center field, Oscar took his opportunity and never looked back.

Called up on May 14th, Mercado became the catalyst that reinvigorated a sleeping offense, and the youngster put together an impressive debut season. He batted .269/.318/.443 with 15 home runs, 15 stolen bases, 25 doubles and a .761 OPS. His grace in the outfield led to nine defensive runs saved as well; a solid contributor in every aspect of the game.

Like any rookie, he experienced his share of ups and downs but there's no denying Mercado established himself as one of the key players in the lineup. Overall, I liked what I saw and his progress will be fun to monitor in 2020. His Rookie of the Year campaign will surely be overshadowed by the glitzier prospects on the Astros and Blue Jays, but Mercado is certainly deserving of consideration.

In my eyes, the Indians have found their center fielder for the next decade.

Roberto Pérez

When Yan Gomes was traded in the off-season, I had my concerns about the future of the catching position in Cleveland. Alas, I should not have worried, as Roberto Pérez took care of business and then some.

As a part-time catcher with the Indians over five years, we had grown to love Pérez for his defensive excellence and consistency. What Pérez lacked at the plate (a career .205 hitter prior to 2019), he more than made up for behind it.

This season, now elevated to a full-time role in Gomes' absence, Pérez's defensive numbers took a major leap, putting him among the elite catchers in the game. The 30 year-old ranked second in the majors in caught stealing percentage, gunning down 41% of his would-be thieves. Pérez led every player in the majors in defensive runs saved, with 29 (per Fangraphs). Even more remarkable, Pérez wasn't charged with a single passed ball all season. Over 993.2 innings, he didn't let one get past him.

That's ridiculous.

There is a legitimate argument to be made for Pérez as the best catcher in baseball. If he doesn't get the Gold Glove this winter, it will be a travesty.

And I haven't even mentioned the fact Pérez developed a swing that meant he was no longer an automatic out in the box. Though his slashline of .239/.321/.452 isn't the most eye-catching you'll see, he did post a .774 OPS and smash 24 home runs. Not bad for a guy who had never hit more than 8, at any level.

It's safe to say that what was once a position of uncertainty for the Indians is now one of strength, thanks to our beloved Bebo.

Honorable Mentions

• No Indians season review is complete without giving Carlos Santana his due. The All-Star first baseman made a spectacular return to The Land after an off-season trade. It was like he never left. The veteran had a fantastic year, batting .281/.397/.515 with 34 HR, 110 RBI, for a 135 wRC+ and 4.4 WAR. 
• The Tribe's trade deadline acquisitions Franmil Reyes and Yasiel Puig helped bring some spark and excitement to Progressive Field. Puig was everything we expected and more, and endeared himself to fans with that cannon-arm in right field. Time will tell if his stay in Cleveland was short-lived, but I would love the club to bring him back. Reyes got off to a slow start but soon found his feet, and will be a threatening presence in the lineup for years to come (37 HR this year and he's still only 24 years-old).
• Francisco Lindor made club history, collecting 30+ HR for the third consecutive season, joining Albert Belle, Manny Ramirez and Jim Thome as the only men in Cleveland to do that. I felt the mood surrounding Lindor was slightly negative this year, with fans looking ahead to his impending free agency and the Indians' inability/reluctance to sign him long term, but Lindor is this team. His .284/.335/.518 line, 22 SB, 40+ doubles and 4.4 WAR is nothing to sniff at. 
• The bullpen, so long an enigma, were mostly excellent. The group recorded a 3.76 ERA, third-best in the majors, with standout performers including Nick Wittgren and Tyler Clippard. Even Brad Hand, who suffered a crisis of confidence late in the year, still recorded 34 saves, a good enough total for fifth place in the majors. 

With a winter of possibility now ahead of us, I'll spend some of that time looking at the burning questions facing this ballclub and what could be in store prior to the 2020 campaign. Until then, I'll watch the World Series and recharge my baseball batteries.

I want to say a quick thank you to anyone who has followed England Tribe this year. I have enjoyed this season immensely, and connected with a great number of you online and in person. It's been an amazing year for me personally, and my connection to the game has never been stronger.

2020 will be even better.

2018 Spring Training Wishlist: Part 1

Baseball, glorious baseball, is nearly upon us.

Cleveland pitchers and catchers report for their first workouts this Thursday. Jerseys will be buttoned, caps will be pulled on, and balls will be thrown in anger. Finally.

The Indians have very real ambitions of making it back to the World Series, as they did in 2016. Last year was ultimately a disappointment, a collapse at the hands of the New York Yankees in the ALDS.

Perhaps the team can use that defeat to fuel them this season. It could be just the chip on their shoulder that is needed to spur them forward.

If I have any criticism of that 102-win team from 2017, I could say they strolled their way to the postseason in a perfunctory manner. They encountered no challenge in their division and the stakes never felt very high. The streak was amazing but the rest of the year felt like purgatory until we got back to October. Once there, they were rudely woken up by the Yankees. Hopefully the team will be keen to right this wrong in 2018.

On that note, and with Spring Training so tantalisingly close, I'm going to look at some Indians related topics that I want to see answered over the course of the next couple of months.

Falling For Francisco

This time last year I spoke about the catcher position, and my wish to see some stability there between Yan Gomes and Roberto Perez. Stability is largely what we got in 2017, as Gomes had his best season since the 2014 Silver Slugger-worthy campaign that made him a household name (in Cleveland anyway). Perez also improved in 2017, recording admirable stats for a back-up catcher.

However, neither catcher really took total ownership of the position, thus leaving the door ajar for Francisco Mejia, recently voted the number one catching prospect in all of baseball. Mejia will almost certainly be given an opportunity to make an impression on Francona and the big league staff this spring, and I would like to see him make the most of his opportunity. I would even go so far to say that he should be setting his sights on that starter's spot for Opening Day, despite his relative inexperience.

The 22 year-old Mejia had a brief glimpse what life is like on the Indians roster last year when he was rewarded with a September call-up. The switch-hitter posted a .154/.214/.154 slashline, with 2 hits in 14 plate appearances. It wasn't exactly the first impression he would have maybe liked but it would be harsh to judge him on so small a sample.

On the whole his 2017 season was largely successful. Mejia spent his entire time in the minor leagues at Double-A Akron where he slashed .297/.346/.490 with 14 home runs and 52 RBI over 383 plate appearances. A very solid season by all accounts, despite being hindered by the odd leg injury on occasion. He undoubtedly has one of the best bats among all prospects and his power numbers are on the rise each year too.

However, it was noted that Mejia did appear slightly worn down towards the end of the minor league season, with reports claiming he "looked tired and disengaged behind the plate."

With thoughts of his long term future and progress in mind, the Indians have toyed with the idea of Mejia playing at third base, and he even featured there during the Arizona Fall League towards the end of last year. The Indians, in my opinion, look set at third base for the immediate future, with Giovanny Urshela, Yandy Diaz and Jose Ramirez all comfortably able to play the hot corner. However I can see the benefit of testing Mejia there, as a bit of versatility in a player his age cannot be a bad thing. If it extends his playing career, I'm in support of this idea.

Wherever he ends up playing, the Tribe certainly don't need to rush Mejia along. He hasn't even seen time at the Triple-A level yet and could probably benefit from more maturation in Columbus. Gomes and Perez are both committed for a couple more years yet, and the signs from both men in 2017 were positive.

Having said that, I'd love to see Mejia enjoy a breakout spring and have realistic ambitions on making the Opening Day roster. If he can stick as a catcher, that would be even better.

My mind says, 'stay on the farm.' My heart says, 'this is your time Francisco.'

---------------------------------------------

That'll wrap up part one. I'll be back again, looking at a different aspect of the 2018 Indians team before the season begins.

2017 Spring Training Wishlist: Part 1

Baseball, played by actual baseball players, will be with us once again in a few week's time. And with that comes excitement, anticipation and expectations. Cleveland had a remarkable 2016, and they came oh so close to winning the World Series. Just getting that far was beyond my wildest dreams but to come up just short really hurt.

As a result, expectations for 2017 are higher than ever, especially when you consider the big free agent addition of Edwin Encarnacion. I'm hesitant to say it's World Series or bust this season but there's a definite feeling that the club need to capitalise on this momentum and ensure they are as competitive as possible during their best player's prime years.

With that being said and with Spring Training so tantalisingly close, here are some of the things I want to see from the Indians before the 2017 season gets underway for real:

A Healthy Michael Brantley

There's a sense of déjà vu this Spring Training where Brantley is concerned. This time last year the Indians' outfielder was busy rehabbing his right shoulder but it never felt entirely right, limiting Brantley to just 11 games in late April and early May before being shut down entirely in August for another trip to the operating table. That pesky shoulder of his never healed properly but hopefully it's been fully repaired this off-season.

So far in 2017, Brantley has made no promises on a return date and is wise to do so. Slow and steady is the motto this year, and any action he sees over the Spring is a bonus. I would love for him to get some much-needed reps in the Arizona sunshine but not at the expense of losing him during the summer. He's been my favorite Indians player for some time now and the team are undoubtedly a stronger force when he's in the lineup. Just think, we won the pennant without him. How good might we be when he's back to his near-MVP best?

Stability At Catcher

Yan Gomes has not had a good time of it lately. Coming off the back of a stellar 2014 campaign with an AL Silver Slugger award in his back pocket, big things were expected of Gomes. It seemed we finally had a replacement for Victor Martinez, and he was locked down on a long-term deal at a great price, 6 years for $23 million.

However since his breakthrough Gomes has been in sharp decline, and his bat has all but disappeared. Injuries have definitely taken their toll, and really hindered his ability to escape from some of those slumps that ate away at his stats. Whether it was his knee, his shoulder, or a fractured hand, nothing went Gomes' way between 2015-2016. His batting average the past two years is a combined .205, with just 22 walks to 173 strikeouts in that span. The rest of his stats don't make for pretty reading either (a .240 OBP - ouch).

To make matters worse, Gomes' understudy Roberto Perez proved to be more than adequate in Gomes' absence. As adept defensively as Gomes (Perez had a defensive rating of 6.9 compared to Gomes' 7.0, per Fangraphs), Perez also had some major moments with the bat, mostly in the postseason. However over the course of the 2016 regular season, Perez wasn't exactly lighting the world on fire, with a subpar .183/.285/.294 (BA/OBP/SLG) batting line in just 61 games played.

It's safe to say that the catching position wasn't a strength for the Indians in 2016, at least not offensively. So with that in mind, I'm just looking for some stability from our catchers this year. I think a healthy Gomes is more likely to provide this; if he can be at least average at the plate, when you combine that with his strong defensive work then the catching position can once again be a key contributor to this squad. I'm still very happy with the solid Perez in the backup spot, but should Gomes falter and not recover, then it would be interesting to see what Perez could do as a starter over a full season.

Both players had better get their acts into gear though, as 21 year-old top prospect Francisco Mejia is hot on their heels. The young Dominican catcher, recently ranked the 18th best prospect in all of baseball by ESPN's Keith Law, put on a show in 2016, slashing .342/.382/.514 with 11 homers and 80 RBI between A-ball Lake County and A+ Lynchburg. Mejia rose to minor-league fame thanks to his DiMaggio-like hitting streak, batting safely in 50 straight games to announce himself to the masses. He'll likely start 2017 at AA Akron so Gomes and Perez can rest easy for a little while, as Mejia is at least a year away from making his Indians debut. But Gomes and Perez cannot be complacent and must show signs of improving this year because in the long-run their days are numbered if they don't turn things around soon.

-----------------------------------------

That'll do for part one of my 2017 Spring wishlist. I'll return soon with part two.

Thanks for reading.

World Series - Game 1 - Tribe Take Opener

It was a night to remember in the city of Cleveland. The Cavaliers hung their 2015/16 NBA championship banner and the players collected their long sought-after rings, as they topped the Knicks in their season opener. And across the road at Progressive Field, the Indians began their quest to earn their very own championship, by attempting to win their first World Series since 1948. And the hometown team got off to an impressive start, shutting out the Chicago Cubs 6-0 in front of a raucous sell-out crowd.

Both clubs sent their aces to the mound, with Corey Kluber representing for Cleveland and Jon Lester pitching for the Cubs. Lester is a big game pitcher, and has played in two World Series before in 2007 and 2013. He's been on the biggest stage and delivered when it mattered most but tonight he was outshone by Kluber, making his first ever World Series start but you wouldn't know it by looking at his face.

Kluber was utterly dominant, as he shutout Chicago over 6 innings and allowed just 4 hits and no walks. The right-hander from Birmingham, Alabama got off to a hot start, a record setting one in fact, striking out 8 Cubs in the first 3 innings alone. Kluber went on to record a total of 9 K's and picked up the win for his efforts.

He was backed up by an offense who got to Lester early, as the Tribe took a quick 2-0 lead in the first inning thanks to a Jose Ramirez RBI single and Brandon Guyer being hit by an errant cutter in the leg, forcing home a second run with the bases loaded.

Indians catcher Roberto Perez then proceeded to steal the show. The 27 year-old from Mayagüez, Puerto Rico is having quite a post-season, and in front of millions of viewers he clubbed 2 home runs to put the game beyond the Cubs. Perez's first homer came in the bottom of the 4th inning, a solo shot that just cleared the left field wall to increase the Tribe's lead to 3-0. Then Perez returned in the 8th inning and eliminated any hope Chicago had left, smashing a deep 3 run homer into the left field stands to make it 6-0 to the Tribe. Perez only had 3 home runs in the regular season and has now matched that tally in October alone.

Special mentions must also go to Andrew Miller and Cody Allen for their sterling work out of the bullpen. Miller wasn't his dominant self but still pitched 2 scoreless innings and escaped a few jams, making the Tribe fans sweat a little in the process. Allen pitched the 9th inning and gave up a Willson Contreras double, but he struck out 3 to close out the game with ease.

And just like that the Indians won their first World Series game since 1997. Tonight will see Trevor Bauer pitch against Chicago's Jake Arrieta in game 2, which has been brought forward an hour in an attempt to avoid some incoming rain. I'm not expecting another performance on par with Kluber's but if Bauer can just get through 5 innings relatively unscathed before turning it over to Miler, I'll be happy.

Thanks for reading.